Chacin blanks Dodgers into eighth, Rockies win 8-0

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LOS ANGELES(AP) -- The Colorado Rockies' injury-depleted rotation
has given Jhoulys Chacin an opportunity to show manager Jim
Tracy what he can do.

And he hasn't disappointed.

Chacin made his second stellar start for the Rockies, who
knocked out knuckleballer Charlie Haeger during a six-run first
inning and beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-0 on Saturday night.

"It's just a terrific job again by that young kid," Tracy said.
"Obviously, we got things started correctly for him in the
first. One of the things you concern yourself about with a young
kid is when you stake him to a real nice lead like we did, how
is he going to handle that? Is he going to get a little too
excited and try to hurry his way through this thing? But he kept
himself completely under control and showed some composure and
poise."

Ian Stewart hit a two-run homer and RBI single among his three
hits. Carlos Gonzales had a three-run double in support of
Chacin (2-0), who has filled in brilliantly while Jorge De La
Rosa and Jason Hammel have been on the disabled list.

"I've just been doing what they told me - try to throw my
fastball for a strike and get ahead in the count. And I've been
successful with that," Chacin said. "I have more experience now
and my pitches are good. I think if I keep throwing strikes I
will be fine."

The 22-year-old right-hander scattered six hits over 7 1-3
innings, struck out seven and walked two. Last Sunday, he beat
the Giants 4-1 at San Francisco with seven innings of one-hit
ball for his first big league victory.

"This kid's capable of winning a lot for us right now," Tracy
said. "I really believe he got the message we sent him last
year: If you want to be a big leaguer fairly quickly and remain
one for the rest of your career, get your fastball back and get
it over the plate like you did a couple of years ago when you
won 18 games between two spots in the minor leagues."

Left fielder Manny Ramirez was activated from the 15-day
disabled list and singled in four at-bats in his return to the
Dodgers' lineup, after missing 14 games because of a right calf
strain.

Andre Ethier was 3 for 3, increasing his major league-leading
average to .394. But the only other hit the Dodgers got off
Chacin during the first seven innings was a single by Russell
Martin.

"He was throwing strikes and staying ahead of guys," Blake
DeWitt said. "He had all of his pitches working and he had good
off-speed stuff. In this league, you're going to be facing tough
guys every night. That's just part of it."

Haeger (0-4) lasted only 22 pitches - 14 balls - and did not
retire any of the five batters he faced. All of them scored,
raising the right-hander's ERA to 8.49.

Seth Smith opened the game with a single and the next three
batters walked, including Troy Tulowitzki on four pitches to
force in a run. Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt went to the mound
for a few words with Haeger, who got ahead of Gonzalez 1-2
before the Rockies' RBIs leader lined a triple inside first base
to increase his season total to 25. Gonzalez has 18 in his last
11 games.

Manager Joe Torre yanked Haeger and brought in Ramon Ortiz, who
promptly gave up Stewart's sixth homer. The Rockies have only
two home runs in their last eight games, including Stewart's
12th-inning solo shot in Wednesday's 6-5 win at San Diego.

Haeger became the first Dodgers pitcher to start a game and not
record an out since Aug. 8, 1988, at Houston, when right-hander
Shawn Hillegas was pulled by Tommy Lasorda after four batters.

"It was just one of those things where I couldn't find the zone,
and as a result, you're going to get hurt," Haeger said. "I've
pitched a lot of games in my life, where, being a knuckleballer,
every once in a while you don't have it in the first inning. So
I understand the hook. You let the first five guys reach base
and you're down 4-0 with nobody out, maybe it's time to make a
change."

NOTES: Haeger's only other appearance against the Rockies was a
relief outing with San Diego on Sept. 16, 2008, at Coors Field,
when he gave up a grand slam to Chris Iannetta after walking the
previous three batters. Iannetta was optioned to Triple-A on
April 27. ... Colorado 1B Todd Helton, whose 38 career home runs
against the Dodgers are the most he's had against any team,
hasn't hit one against them in 81 at-bats since his solo shot
against Brad Penny at Coors Field on May 2, 2008.